[Poster's note: Repeats of international articles already sent out to
the east-timor list (info@etan.org) have been removed.]

Monday, 06 March 2007

UNMIT ­ MEDIA MONITORING

THE UN INTEGRATED MISSION IN TIMOR-LESTE DOES NOT VOUCH FOR THE
ACCURACY OF THESE REPORTS

National Media Reports

State Will Use Force To Stop Violence: President Gusmão

President Xanana Gusmão said Timor-Leste would use national defence
force to stop the violence in the country. In his Presidential statement
on Monday 5th March, the President stressed that the State is no longer
tolerating anyone destroying properties or taken somebody else's life,
noting that the violence has been long affecting the capital Dili. Gusmão
lamented that the country is heading a little bit towards anarchism and
there is no goodwill from some people of the community to contribute to
peace. He said that some protests, rather than bringing people together to
resolve the problems, are contributing to distancing the people in a time
when the nation needs to recuperate to become an environment of tolerance
and acceptance. He also said it is important to create conditions for all
citizens to freely participate in the upcoming elections and that it is
the State's obligation to safeguard the stability of the country, the
people and their properties and to stop criminalities and to ensure that
the smooth functioning of State institutions and the existence of freedom
for all citizens. The President also appealed to the national and
international authorities to use legal means to ensure that the law of the
country is obeyed and that any demonstrations must follow the rules. He
said that the international forces should take strong action against
anyone creating public disorder. Gusmão stated to the nation that if the
decision to reduce criminality is not sufficient, the State will take
harsher measures.

According to Timor Post, the State had ordered the security forces to
use force to stop the violence by issuing a decree law, which authorizes
the International Forces to search houses around Dili without a court
warrant. President Xanana Gusmão officially introduced the law yesterday
(05/03) at Palacio das Cinzas, Dili. (DN,TP)

UIR Prepared To Stop Violence

Commander of Unidade Intervenção Rapida (UIR) Inocencio da Silva,
reportedly told the media Monday following a meeting with Prime Minister
Horta that the police is prepared to attend to the violence in the country
as the higher superiorities gives the go ahead. On the same occasion,
Prime Minister Ramos-Horta asked UIR members to focus on their work
seriously. He said that the State had requested F-FDTL to provide security
to State buildings due to the workload UNPOL and PNTL are facing. The Head
of the Government said the recent burning and looting of computers from
the Ministry of Education was done by a group of criminals and the
computers were taken not to study but to sell to their militia friends in
Kupang and Atambua and therefore, F-FDTL is willing to protect buildings
indicated by the State. Ramos-Horta said the reason the President issued a
decree law, which has the support of the Parliament and the UN, is to give
more power to the international forces in their operations to make
decisions that will help stop disturbances. He said that some groups
really want to destabilize the country by terrorizing and pushing the
population away from their homes in order for them to steal. (DN)

Over 200 IDPs In UIR Compound

The Commander in Chief of Unidade Intervesaun Rapida (UIR), Inocencio
Araujo da Silva informed that the violence of burning houses and attacking
each other by the youth groups has forced 114 families, mostly children
and elderly people in Suco Fatuhada and Hudi Laran to seek refuge in UIR
compound for protection and security. Furthermore, Inocencio stated that
most of the refugees who have lost their houses have been staying at the
compound for the last two weeks. The refugees are still not receiving
sufficient humanitarian assistance yet. Meantime Prime Minister Jose Ramos
Horta who was at the PNTL UIR compound, presented his gratitude to
Inocencio and his men for their kindness in giving protection and security
to the refugees and pledged that the government will help members of the
unit who are facing problems with food. He said the government will
provide rice to the whole unit for them to effectively perform their
duties. The rice will be distributed by the Ministry of Labour and
Community Reinsertion. (TP)

Dialogue To Surrender Will Stop Capture

Prime Minister Ramos-Horta reportedly said that although the
international forces continue the search to apprehend Reinado, if Alfredo
sends a SMS or approaches the church to re-seek dialogue and follow the
justice process, the operation to capture him will immediately cease. He
said that there are possibilities for dialogue and that the point of the
operation is not to kill him. He said the International Forces have orders
not to fire first, noting that in Same, Alfredo's group fired first at the
ISF helicopters which resulted in the death of four people. The Prime
Minister said in the months that have passed President Xanana tried to
persuade Alfredo to follow the justice system by holding many dialogues
with him, which led to the President being accused of trying to hide
Alfredo from the International Forces. He also said that rather than
follow the advice from many including Bishop Belo, Alfredo decided to take
more guns from the border posts, an act which cannot be accepted by the
State, the President of the Republic and the Parliament. (DN)

MUNJ Gives Deadline To President Gusmão

Coordinator of Movimentu Unidade Nacional ba Justisa (MUNJ) Agusto
Trindade Junior has given a 24 hour deadline to the President of the
Republic to withdraw his order on the capture of Major Alfredo. Trindade
Junior said if the demands are not met he will mobilize youth from all the
districts to hold a protest in Dili against the ISF.

Media Is Still Not Paying Attention To Women: Milena Pires

Coordinator United Nations Development Funds For Women (UNIFEM) Milena
Pires reportedly told Timor Post that the media is still not reporting
much about women. She cited as an example the first page of the newspapers
which carried information based mainly about men. Pires said the media
must also approach women and report on news about and opinions from women.
She said in order to strengthen women's participation in the 2007
elections, media is an important partner and cannot be ignored. The head
of UNIFEM in Timor-Leste said women participating in the elections will
provide all the information to the media which is imperative to have a
space allocated for it to be reported in a balanced and accurate manner. (TP)

UNPOL Appeals For Public Support (TP)

United Nation Police (UNPOL) and PNTL appealed to all citizens to
provide information about the suspect of Sergio Castro de Jesus knows as
Sergio Ninja. Sergio Ninja escaped from the Becora prison on 17 February
2007 while he was awaiting trial for his attack and sexual abuses. Sergio
Ninja is the fifth prisoner which police have not yet captured

UNPOL and PNTL officers said that since he escaped from the Becora
Prison, Sergio has been seen around various parts of Dili. The police are
seeking public assistance to localize and to arrest Sergio.

JSMP Demands Better Justice in TL

Justice System Monitoring Program (JSMP) appeals to the United Nations
in Timor Leste UNMIT to improve the justice in Timor Leste. According to
JSMP justice sectors in the Districts of Baucau, Oecussi, Suai and Dili
still are not functioning properly due to political interference.

International Media Reports

Jawa Post (March 6, 2007)

Riot, Australia Evacuates Its Citizens

DILI - The attack of australian Forces to the 'barracks' of the
renegades (Alfredo cs) on Sunday (04/03) morning burning the anger of East
Timorese. Tension spread over Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste since
yesterday afternoon. Hundreds of young men blocked main roads in Dili by
burning tires.

They yelled Alfredo Reinaldo, the head of renegades who had been
targeted by international forces for days.

The protest made Australian government anticipating the situation by
evacuating its citizens out of Dili, excluded military personnel and
diplomatic corps. "The situation in Dili is endanger. Too many many
groups demonstrating. Mostly, the supporters of Alfredo. They threat
Australia," said Monica Rodrigues, a female UN force who accompany
the riot in Dili yesterday.

The Foreign Minister of Austrtalia, Alexander Downer who was visiting
Indonesia said that the evacuation of the civilians should be in hurry to
avoid the attack. "The situation in Dili is very dangerous. It is too
risk to ignore our civilians without protection," said Downer.

Even though the action of his Army (ADF) pursuing Reinaldo bringing
disadvantage for Australia, he amplified that the operation will go
forward. "Every efforts done to arrest Reinaldo alive. But, I think,
good suggestion for Reinaldo is surrender. He could hide in the forest for
awhile," added Downer. To increase the security forces, Australia
through UN asking for police personnel in Timor-Leste to be more than one
thousand personnell.

Australia is worried about the possibility of conflict that will be
taking place, following civil war. That is why one hundred SAS forces had
sent to Timor-Leste in 24 hours before the attack.

Reinaldo said that, Australia is coming to Timor-Leste to create
instability - more instable. "The Australian Forces are the target of
mosquitos in the forest, while we are sleeping on the mattress and at the
same time watching TV," said Reinaldo sinically.

Reinado left his barracks in Same after Autralian forces which
supported by two Black Hawk hrlicopters attacked. In his hide place, he
sent 6 SMS to diplomats and journalists. "For now we are watching out
to do any kind of attack," said Reinado.

In separate place, Gastao Salsinha, the head of 700 forces which
dismissed last year, said that he and Reinaldo are now dedicating their
lives to fight for one million people and their rights in Timor-Leste.

Reinaldo said that, Timor-Leste will enter civil war if Australia
continue attack his groups. He said that, the Attorney General, Longuinhos
Monteiro could detain him. The requirement is, Longuinhos could protect
himself by waiting for all the statements in the tribunal about the riots
last year.

Meanwhile, President Xanana appeal to all people stay in calm. He said
that the nation interest is all above then the interest of a single
individual or certain people. (ap)

Situation in East Timor "extremely dangerous" tv3.co.nz/
06-Mar 13:29

The situation in East Timor appears to be deteriorating with the
government now advising those concerned for their safety to consider
leaving.

Thousands of angry supporters of East Timor's rebel leader Alfredo
Reinado protested in the capital Dili last night, against a raid on his
hideout by international troops.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade says the risks there are now
extreme, and is advising against all travel within the country.

Ex-pats and tourists are being strongly being urged to register with
MFAT, and maintain regular contact with the embassy in Dili.

Some Australian embassy staff, families to be evacuated from Timor-Leste

Some Australian embassy staff and their families will be evacuated from
the Timor-Leste's capital of Dili amid fears of increased violence sparked
by a failed attempt to capture the nation's fugitive rebel leader by the
Australian- led international force.

The rebel leader Alfredo Reinado, who escaped from a prison in the
capital of Dili last year, still remains on the run in the rugged hills
around Same, south of Dili.

There have been reports of unrest in the capital since Sunday's raid on
Reinado's hideout.

Some supporters of Reinado have protested outside the Australian
embassy in Dili.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has authorized the
voluntary departure of Australia's non-essential embassy staff and their
dependants in Timor-Leste, warning there is a high risk of violent civil
unrest.

"There is an increasing likelihood that Australians could be
specifically targeted," he said in a statement late Monday night.

Meanwhile, Timor-Leste's President Xanana Gusmao has said a state of
emergency may be imposed to stop an outbreak of civil unrest, vowing to
use all legal means to pursue the rebel leader.